The Americas

Hustler founder Larry Flynt scored a minor court win in his battle to keep his card rooms open. Flynt’s legal team continue to battle the state of California over the ownership laws relating to card rooms; Dan Gilbert has sold his interest in the Ohio casino market to Jack Entertainment. Jack Entertainment will oversee the management of three casinos in the Cleveland area; MGM Resorts has abandoned its bid to acquire Entain PLC. The speculation led to a steep plunge in Entain’s share price; Atlantic City casinos continue to come under enormous economic pressure. The city’s casinos have been forced to extend their closure policies for a further month; Former U.S. President Donald Trump has given notorious sports gambler Billy Walters a lifeline. In one his final acts as president, Walters five-year sentence for securities fraud was commuted; Grupo Caliente is set to expand its partnership with Genius Sports. Grupo Caliente is set to extend its partnership in Mexico and the Latin American region to include all sportsbook activity for the Caliente.mx brand; The lawyer for Mike Postle has announced he is stepping off the case. Postle’s lawyer stepped back as two defendants in the case hit Postle with an anti-SLAPP. America’s online gaming marketing court a break with a ruling on the 1961 Wire Act. A two-judge panel of the U.S. Court of the Appeals for the First Circuit sided with the New Hampshire Lottery Commission in a historic ruling;

Europe

Genting U.K. continues to struggle with the COVID-19 situation, closing casinos in Bristol, Margate and Torquay, as well as reducing staff at several other locations across the UK; Former Responsible Affiliates in Gambling Chairman Clive Hawkswood has joined Gambling Integrity. Hawkswood has spent decades in the industry developing best practice across a range of regulatory and social issues; Entain’s plan to buy Enlabs AB has run into trouble as Texas hedge fund Alta Fox Capital Management is refusing to sell. The battle is set to continue with the Texas fund finding enough support to halt the sale; Danske Spil has struck a deal with Playtech Sports to introduce sports gambling products. The Danish lottery is set to add titles to the local lottery market; Entain plc have appointed a new CEO to replace the outgoing Shay Segev. Independent Director Jette Nygaard-Andersen is set to take over in the top job, with CFO Rob Wood named as her deputy.

The latest round of Premier League fixtures has seen the big clubs and the best players step up to the mark. With atrocious weather conditions, the most talented players often dictate play and in James Maddison, Bernardo Silva and Paul Pogba, Leicester City, Manchester City and Manchester United had artistry in abundance as they wrapped up three points against tough opposition.

Let’s go back through the action and pluck out the best of it.

Leicester City 2-0 Chelsea

A convincing win for The Foxes saw Chelsea fall apart without the protective influence of N’Golo Kante in midfield. Leicester, fresh from a 2-0 win against Southampton just a few days earlier, were on the front foot from the first whistle, taking the game to their more decorated opponents with flair and steel in equal measure.

Virginia’s legal sports betting market is off to a sputtering start following confusion over why FanDuel is the only brand to have received permission to launch. 

On Thursday afternoon, Flutter Entertainment’s FanDuel brand officially began taking online wagers from Virginia bettors. Flutter subsidiary Betfair Interactive US received its betting permit on Wednesday from the Virginia Lottery, which oversees gambling activity in the state. Virginia is now the 17th US state (18 if you count the District of Columbia) to launch some form of legal wagering.

The launch followed a day of confusion in which FanDuel’s Twitter feed excitedly announced the brand would be “LIVE in VA in less than 24 hrs,” only to revise that proclamation minutes later to a launch coming “soon” followed by abject silence. Neither the company nor the Lottery has since shed much light on this apparent messaging cockup. 

Last November, the Virginia Lottery said it had received 25 applications for a maximum 12 mobile sports betting licenses, but FanDuel is the only brand so far to have received its launch signal. Most states aim for a simultaneous launch of all or at least a majority of successful applicants to ensure no operator gets an unfair first-mover advantage. 

A South Korean casino heist appears to be falling apart following the recovery of most of the stolen cash and the arrest of one suspected thief. 

On Wednesday, authorities on the South Korean holiday island of Jeju announced the arrest of an unidentified 30-something Korean male. The suspect is believed to have played a role in the recent theft of KRW14.5b (US$13.4M) in cash from several VIP gaming room safes at Landing International Development’s Jeju Shinhwa World resort casino. 

The Yonhap news agency said police are keeping details quiet for the time being, except to say that the arrested individual is “an employee of an agent company that attracts and manages casino customers.” Police said the man was not a casino staffer, meaning the suspect likely works for one of the Jeju casino’s junket partners. 

Police remain on the lookout for the alleged ringleader, a 55-year-old Malaysian female casino executive who failed to return to work after her holidays. On January 4, Landing reported the absence of the purloined cash and the fact that the female staffer appeared to have wiped surveillance video before heading off on vacation late last year.

A South Korean casino heist appears to be falling apart following the recovery of most of the stolen cash and the arrest of one suspected thief. 

On Wednesday, authorities on the South Korean holiday island of Jeju announced the arrest of an unidentified 30-something Korean male. The suspect is believed to have played a role in the recent theft of KRW14.5b (US$13.4M) in cash from several VIP gaming room safes at Landing International Development’s Jeju Shinhwa World resort casino. 

The Yonhap news agency said police are keeping details quiet for the time being, except to say that the arrested individual is “an employee of an agent company that attracts and manages casino customers.” Police said the man was not a casino staffer, meaning the suspect likely works for one of the Jeju casino’s junket partners. 

Police remain on the lookout for the alleged ringleader, a 55-year-old Malaysian female casino executive who failed to return to work after her holidays. On January 4, Landing reported the absence of the purloined cash and the fact that the female staffer appeared to have wiped surveillance video before heading off on vacation late last year.

The latest round of the F.A. Cup takes place a fortnight after the 3rd Round for most but for others, such as Southampton, just days after their progression from the last round. The Saints may have prevailed 2-0 on Tuesday night against Shrewsbury, but they have a tough-looking fixture next as they take on the holders Arsenal.

Let’s take a look at that fixture and a titanic tussle at Old Trafford as we offer you some special sportsbetting tips of the 4th Round of the oldest and best cup competition in world football.

Southampton vs. Arsenal (Saturday, 12.15pm GMT kick-off)

With Southampton having only qualified for the 4th Round of the F.A. Cup on Tuesday at the expense of Shrewsbury Town, this game could come a little soon for The Saints. That said, players such as James Ward-Prowse and Danny Ings will be desperate to fire the South Coast side to glory and taking on the holders will hold no fear for Ralph Hasenhuttl’s team.

The latest round of the F.A. Cup takes place a fortnight after the 3rd Round for most but for others, such as Southampton, just days after their progression from the last round. The Saints may have prevailed 2-0 on Tuesday night against Shrewsbury, but they have a tough-looking fixture next as they take on the holders Arsenal.

Let’s take a look at that fixture and a titanic tussle at Old Trafford as we offer you some special sportsbetting tips of the 4th Round of the oldest and best cup competition in world football.

Southampton vs. Arsenal (Saturday, 12.15pm GMT kick-off)

With Southampton having only qualified for the 4th Round of the F.A. Cup on Tuesday at the expense of Shrewsbury Town, this game could come a little soon for The Saints. That said, players such as James Ward-Prowse and Danny Ings will be desperate to fire the South Coast side to glory and taking on the holders will hold no fear for Ralph Hasenhuttl’s team.

Old-style poker players had something different about them. Maybe it’s the sepia that some of the footage of them is now shown in; they’re viewed through a filter from which seems to seep time itself. Poker players of old have become part of the folklore that surrounds the game and that applies to no-one more than poker idol Puggy Pearson.  Puggy Pearson was a world champion, a raconteur and is now remembered as one of the few men who were there at the formation of the World Series of Poker in 1970. But who was he really? Let’s cast our eye back in time to find out.  

The Tennessee Titan  

Born in 1929 and raised in Tennessee, Walter Clyde Pearson got the nickname ‘Puggy’ after he suffered a broken nose in a childhood accident. Despite having a disfigured nose from the age of 12, Pearson would join the navy at 17 and served three terms at sea, becoming a prolific gambler and poker player during his time in the Navy.  

Pearson wouldn’t win his first WSOP bracelet until 1971, but then, he hadn’t invented the poker tournament yet. Yes, you read that correctly. After years of playing cash game poker, it was in the early 1950s that Pearson shared his idea for a ‘freezeout’ tournament with Nick ‘The Greek’ Dandalos. The idea more than took off. Dandalos then took the concept to Benny Binion and after encouragement from players such as Pearson, Doyle Brunson and Amarillo Slim, the World Series of Poker was founded in 1970.  

Old-style poker players had something different about them. Maybe it’s the sepia that some of the footage of them is now shown in; they’re viewed through a filter from which seems to seep time itself. Poker players of old have become part of the folklore that surrounds the game and that applies to no-one more than poker idol Puggy Pearson.  Puggy Pearson was a world champion, a raconteur and is now remembered as one of the few men who were there at the formation of the World Series of Poker in 1970. But who was he really? Let’s cast our eye back in time to find out.  

The Tennessee Titan  

Born in 1929 and raised in Tennessee, Walter Clyde Pearson got the nickname ‘Puggy’ after he suffered a broken nose in a childhood accident. Despite having a disfigured nose from the age of 12, Pearson would join the navy at 17 and served three terms at sea, becoming a prolific gambler and poker player during his time in the Navy.  

Pearson wouldn’t win his first WSOP bracelet until 1971, but then, he hadn’t invented the poker tournament yet. Yes, you read that correctly. After years of playing cash game poker, it was in the early 1950s that Pearson shared his idea for a ‘freezeout’ tournament with Nick ‘The Greek’ Dandalos. The idea more than took off. Dandalos then took the concept to Benny Binion and after encouragement from players such as Pearson, Doyle Brunson and Amarillo Slim, the World Series of Poker was founded in 1970.  

UK-listed gambling operator Entain plc has appointed a new CEO while celebrating a 41% rise in its online revenue in the final quarter of 2020.

On Thursday, Entain announced that it had appointed Jette Nygaard-Andersen as its new CEO, replacing the outgoing Shay Segev, who announced his intention to step down earlier this month. Segev’s exit is effective immediately, although he’ll “remain available” until July 8 to answer any questions his successor might have. 

Nygaard-Andersen (pictured) has been an independent director at Entain since 2019, back when the company was still known as GVC Holdings. She previously served in an executive capacity at a number of major European non-gambling firms, including media conglomerate Modern Times Group and Danish shipping firm AP Moeller-Maersk.  

Entain quoted Nygaard-Andersen saying she “cannot wait to get started” leading the company, with a focus on continuing Entain’s “extraordinary momentum” in existing markets, its expansion into new regulated markets while remaining “deeply wedded” to the company’s player-protection efforts. 

Odds courtesy of OddsShark.com

In the vast majority of sports, the biggest star via popularity is also that sport’s best player. Tom Brady in the NFL, LeBron James in the NBA, etc. However, that’s not always the case in combat sports such as mixed martial arts and boxing (and pro wrestling if one wants to count that as a sport).

Conor McGregor is not close to being the best fighter in the UFC and is in fact only No. 12 in the organization’s pound-for-pound rankings. There’s no question, though, that McGregor is the biggest star in the sport, and his return to the Octagon in a rematch against Dustin Poirier headlines UFC 257 on Saturday night from the organization’s Fight Island in Abu Dhabi.

The lightweight non-title bout – rarely do non-title bouts headline a major card, but that’s McGregor’s draw – should begin around 11:45 p.m. ET and is available on only on pay-per-view.

As far as the world is concerned, Tokyo is still going to host the Olympic Games this summer. They were supposed to be held in the city last year, but that was before COVID-19 turned everything upside down for everyone. The VP of the International Olympics Committee (IOC), John Coates, said a few months ago that the committee is determined to allow the games to proceed this year, but a new challenge has arisen that might force him to eat his words. The mayor of Osaka, Ichiro Matsui, doesn’t think it’s a good idea to have Japan host the games this year and wants them postponed – until 2024.

Japanese media outlet Sankei Shimbun quoted Matsui as indicating that it would be nearly impossible to have all of the necessary COVID-19 vaccines administered in time for the summer games, which could lead to another outbreak. He added, “To ensure the Olympics are a joy and celebration for all after the coronavirus pandemic, we should negotiate with the IOC to hold the event in 2024.”

There’s some legitimacy to the assertion, as the timeline for the rollout of the vaccine extends into the latter part of the year. However, apart from the pandemic issues, there could be another reason Matsui wants the games postponed three years. If Japan were to host them in 2024, it would give the country a lot of attention that year, as well as in the following year, when it is to host the World Expo. Osaka has already been selected as the location for that major event in 2025. In addition to back-to-back major international events, Osaka is optimistic that it will be selected as one of the first three locations for an integrated resort in the country, with plans to have its gambling complex launched and ready to accept guests starting in 2026. That would give Osaka three consecutive years of potentially huge revenue possibilities, with the Olympics and the World Expo providing major amounts of free publicity. 

Matsui added, “Holding the Olympics in 2024 and the [Osaka/Kansai] Expo in 2025 would be a good opportunity for growth and economic revitalization after the pandemic. For Japan to lead a post-[COVID-19] world, we need to make sure the Expo and its theme of ‘Designing Future Society for Our Lives’ is a complete success.”

The Netherlands had hoped to have its new Remote Gambling Act (KOA, for its Dutch acronym) in place this September. The country’s gaming regulator, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), has been diligently working on putting together the final pieces of the framework that would allow mobile gambling to be introduced, but some authorities believe more needs to be done. Initially expected to have been launched this July, the postponement to September has now had another month added, and the KOA Act is now expected to go live in October. 

The latest rescheduling comes after the Dutch Minister for Legal Protections, Sander Dekker, determined that more work was needed, according to Ted Menmuir of SBC News. He feels that the technical requirements laid out in the framework aren’t inclusive enough and wants the KSA and everyone else involved to head back to the table to make some changes. As a result, not only will the introduction of the Act be delayed, but so will the process of issuing licenses to mobile operators. Now, thew new licensing window will begin on April 1, instead of March 1 as previously expected. 

This isn’t the first time that Dekker stepped in at the last minute to make changes. Last November, he was responsible for several 11th-hour amendments that forced everyone back to the table, even though he had already signed off on the Act’s final language. Those amendments were linked to gaming operator compliance issues, as well as the need for the KSA to implement greater controls to keep unlicensed operators from access the local market. 

In updating the situation with the KOA Act, Dekker hinted at the idea that the Netherlands may not consider creating gaming laws that are consistent with others found throughout the European Union (EU). There has been an effort recently to introduce regulations that would be applicable for the entire region; however, Dekker stated trying to introduce EU-friendly gaming laws would be difficult under current EU regulations. His remarks were in response to a question by Madeleine Van Toorenburg of the Christian Democrats political party, who wanted to know if the Dutch government is prepared to develop EU-wide regulations that would protect member states from being accessed by illegal gaming operators. 

In the fast-moving world of gambling, sometimes you might miss news that could be important to you. To make sure you’re all caught up on gaming industry news, be it online or brick and mortar, we’re rounding up the some of the announcements and partnerships from the last week that you might have missed.

Don’t miss out on all of the latest announcements from the gambling industry. Our Press Release section is updated constantly.

Booming Games receives U.K. license.

Malta-based and MGA licensed slot supplier Booming Games kicks off 2021 with the approval from the U.K. Gambling Commission (UKGC) to supply their games to players in the U.K. The company has met the high standards of the regulator and received the supplier license in January 2021.

It’s not uncommon for casinos to face lawsuits of all kinds, which is why they have massive legal teams backing them up. A new lawsuit against Harrah’s Joliet in Illinois probably won’t cause too many sleepless nights for the casino’s lawyers or executives, but still has to be given serious attention. A man sent to jail almost three years ago following an incident on the casino’s property is now suing the casino, for $10 million, according to Casino.org, arguing that it is to blame for his wrongful detainment.

58-year-old Darryl Allen has been sitting in a jail cell since March 2018 after police determined that he was the aggressor, not the victim, as he claimed, in a struggle that took place outside the casino. He has filed a pro se civil lawsuit, one in which the plaintiff acts as his or her own attorney, arguing that the casino is to blame for everything that has transpired to keep him locked up since then. He wants the cash, as well as a public apology from Harrah’s over the ordeal.

The way Allen tells it, he was around Harrah’s that March when a couple exited the casino. He asserts that he asked the female if she had any luck, which, in Allen’s words, sent her partner into a rage. The lawsuit claims the man went on the offensive against Allen, shouting, “That’s my wife your (sic) talking to (racial slur) and then he reached in his waist for what I thought was a weapon so I took a knife out to defend himself (sic).”

However, the supposed weapon turned out to be a cell phone, but Allen contends that he still tried to get away from the confrontation. The man continued to chase him and, as Allen exited the casino’s parking garage, he was caught by casino security and put in handcuffs. Later, he was handed over to police and booked. He wasn’t able to cover the bond on the $150,000 bail that he was given, so he has stayed locked up since then.